Syphons adapted to contain and dispense soda water



June E3, 19$? K HINZ 3,324,903

SYPHONS ADAPTED TO CONTAIN AND DISFENSE SODA WATER Filed May 12, 1965 2 Sheets-$heet 1 K. HINZ June E3, 1967 SYPHONS ADAPTED TO CONTAIN AND DISPENSE SODA WATER Filed May 12, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,324,903 SYPHONS ADAPTED TO CONTAIN AND DISPENSE SGDA WATER Karl Him, 260 Postfach, 565 Solingen-Wald, Germany Fiied May 12, 1965, Ser. No. 455,286 6 Claims. (Cl. 141-47) This invention relates to bottles or syphons adapted to contain and dispense soda water and like carbonated beverages under pressure.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved syphon construction for dispensing carbonated or soda water under pressure,

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a syphon of this type which is designed to be repeatedly charged in the home by the user with ordinary tap water, thereby to eliminate the need for and inconvenience of returning empty bottles to the bottler, periodic deliveries of filled bottles, and providing storage space for both filled and empty bottles between deliveries.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of such a syphon which is of highly simplified construction, is easy to take apart for cleaning and refilling and yet absolutely safe if properly assembled, and can be manufactured at relatively low cost so as to place it well within the means of the average consumer.

The foregoing and other objects of the present invention, as well as the characteristics and advantages thereof, will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanyin g drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, exploded, isometric View of a syphon constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of a gas-containing capsule and mounting attachment therefor designed for use with the syphon shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view of the syphon shown in FIG. 1, the view being taken in the plane of thevalve control arm thereof;

, FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are isometric plan views of two tools designed for use with the syphon shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 3 to 5 in greater detail, it will be seen that the bottle or syphon 10 according to the present invention comprises a liquid-receiving vessel 11, a valve and dispensing cap or syphon head 12, and an intermediate member 13 which is removably secured to the vessel 11 and to which the head 12 is in turn removably secured. The intermediate member and the syphon head are preferably made of suitable rigid synthetic plastic materials, except for certain component parts thereof to be mentioned presently, The vessel 11 is preferably made of metal, e.g. steel, aluminum or the like, although it may also be made of suitably strong resinous materials capable of withstanding the internal pressures to which the bottle will be subjected during use. The vessel 11 is narrowed adjacent its uppermost end to define a neck 11a in which are provided internal threads 11b.

As clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the intermediate member 13 comprises a main tubular body 14 which is provided adjacent its upper end with an enlarged diameter portion 15 having extemal threads 15a, and with a radially outwardly extending rim 16 terminating in an outer downward flange 16a. An annular skirt 17 having external threads 17a extends downwardly from the lower surface of the rim 16 radially inwardly of the flange 16a, and the outer diameter of the threaded portion of this skirt is such that it can be screwed into the neck of the vessel 11. A rubber or like sealing ring 18 is securely fitted into the groove defined between the flange 16a and the skirt 17.

Inasmuch as the entire member 13 is preferably molded as a one-piece unit of a suitable syntheticplasti-c resinous material, a metal cap 19, preferably of stainless steel, is tightly fitted over the rim 16 and flange 16a. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the cap 19 is essentially octagonal in outline with slightly inwardly curved sides 19a, the general outer dimensions and contours of the cap matching the inner contours of an opening provided in the head of a wrench-like tool W (see FIG. 6).

Within the confines of the enlarged portion 15, approximately, the interior bore 14a of the tubular body 14 is slightly enlarged and provided with equidistantly peripherally spaced ribs 20 (see FIG. 4) the uppermost end regions of which diverge outwardly of the bore, as shown at 20a (see FIG. 1). These ridges define the seat for the correspondingly tapered portion 21a of a stopper or plug 21 of sealing material having a central bore 2117 into which is tightly fitted an elongated glass tube 22 which is of suificient length (see FIG 3) to extend to a location substantially adjacent the bottom of the vessel 11.

The syphon head 12 comprises an essentially frustoconical member 23 which is axially bore throughout its length. The lowermost portion 23a of this bore is internally threaded (see FIG. 5) and of such a diameter as to permit the member 23 to be screwed onto the section 15 of the member 13. The portion 23b of the bore in the member 23 is narrowed and defines a downwardly facing shoulder 24 adapted to engage the upper peripheral edge of the stopper or plug 21 so as to press the same down into tight sealing relationship with the uppermost end of the portion 15 of the member 13. The portion 23b of the bore immediately above the shoulder 24 communicates at one side with a passageway 25 extending at an upward slant through the wall of the member 23 and into a lateral projection 26 within which is fixedly retained a metal block 27 provided adjacent its outermost end with external threads 27a. The block has an axial bore 27b which communicates at one end with the bore 25 and at its other end with an enlarged recess 27c essentially coextensive with the threaded portion 27a thereof. The outermost end region of the recess 27 c is provided with internal threads.

Seated in the bottom of this recess is a metal disc 28 having a sharp pointed projection 29 extending axially upwardly therefrom. A groove or recess 30 is formed in the disc 28 and projection 29 at one side thereof, establishing communication between the area at the upper face of the disc and the bore 27b. The upper face of the disc 28 is peripherally engaged by one end of a sleeve-shaped sealing ring or gasket 31 which is retained in place by an annular metal ring or sleeve 32 screwed into the outermost end region of the recess 27c and bearing against the other end of the sealing ring. The sleeve 32 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed slots 33 at its outermost edge for insertion of a key or screwdriver-like tool K (see FIG. 7).

The bore portion 23b of the member 23 further communicates through an axially narrowed bore portion 23c with an enlarged bore portion 23d within which is slidably disposed a valve body 34 the lowermost end of which is adapted to seat against the annular shoulder bounding the narrowed bore portion 230. Adjacent this end the valve body 34 carries an annular gasket or sealing ring 35 which, when the body is in its lowermost position,

seats against the surrounding wall of the bore portion 23d and seals off the inlet end of a lateral bore 36. The latter extends at a downward slant from the bore portion 23d and communicates at its other end with an enlarged bore 37a of a nozzle 37 extending downwardly from the side of the member 23 opposite the location of the projection 26.

The valve body 34, which also carries in an annular recess an auxiliary sealing ring 38 slidably engaging the wall of the bore portion 23d, is provided at one side inter mediate the plane of the axes of the projection 26 and nozzle 37 with a recess 39 into which extends the nose 40a of an operating arm 40 rockably mounted in the member 23 by means of a pin 41. Bearing against the uppermost end of the valve body 34 is one end of a compression spring 42 the opposite end of which is received within an axial recess 43a of a cap member 43 screwed into the uppermost end of an enlarged internally threaded terminal portion 230 of the bore in the member 23 so as to cause the spring normally to bias the valve body to its lowermost position sealing the entrance to the nozzle 37.

When it is desired to ready the syphon for use, the head 12 is first unscrewed from the intermediate member 13, and the plug 21 and glass tube 22 are then removed from the member 13. Care should be taken to ensure that the member 13 is securely and tightly screwed into the vessel 11, with the sealing ring 18 in fluid-tight engagement with the top shoulder of the neck 11a of the vessel 11, for which purpose the wrench-type tool W shown in FIG. 6 may be employed. The vessel 11 is then filled with ordinary cold tap water through the bore 14a of the tubular body 14 of the member 13 until the level of the water is approximately even with the bottom end of the skirt 17, which can be judged from above by noting when the level of water in the tube 14 is essentially up to the lowermost end of the enlarged portion of the bore 140. The glass tube and plug are now reinserted into the intermediate member 13 as shown, and the member 23 tightly screwed onto the enlarged portion of the member 13.

A small cap 44 which normally covers the outermost end of the block 27 is now removed and a metal adapter frame 45 (see FIG. 2) having nested therein a capsule 46 containing carbon dioxide gas under high pressure is screwed by means of an internally threaded bushing 45a onto the block 27 until the forwardmost end closure 46a of the capsule within the confines of the bushing 45a engages the pin or nail-like projection 29 of the disc 28. Upon further screwing of the adapter frame onto the block 27, the said pin penetrates the end closure 46a of the capsule and enables the carbon dioxide gas to escape therefrom and fiow through the slot 30 and bore 27b25 into the interior of the vessel 11 where it mixes with the water to transform the same into the desired carbonated or soda water. Leakage of the gas past the capsule is prevented by the pressing of the outer surface of the closure and neck of the capsule against the surrounding annular sleeve-shaped sealing member 31. As the carbon dioxide enters the syphon, the latter should preferably be vigorously shaken in order to insure a proper mixing of the water and carbon dioxide.

It will be readily understood that whenever thereafter the arm 40 is depressed (clockwise as shown in FIG. 3), the valve body 34 is raised against the force of the spring 42, establishing communication between the axial bore in the member 23 and the nozzle bore 3637a, thereby permitting the carbonated water to be forced in the form of a jet-like stream out of the bottle through the tube 22 and the nozzle 37. During a dispensing operation, of course, leakage of gas and/or liquid past the valve body 34 is inhibited by the sealing ring 38, while at other times escape of fluid from the bottle through the nozzle is inhibited by the sealing ring 35.

By virtue of the provision of the intermediate member 13, the syphon according to the present invention is possessed of a number of advantages not found in known devices of this type. Thus, using such a member makes it possible to form the vessel 11 with a relatively wide neck without correspondingly increasing the size of the syphon head, whereas in the known syphons limiting the size of the head necessarily entails making the neck of the liquid-receiving vessel correspondingly small. This makes cleaning of the inside of the known syphons difiicult, a drawback which is effectively avoided by the present invention. Moreover, due to the large neck opening, standard size ice cubes can be introduced into the vessel 11 of the syphon, which has heretofore not been possible with the known syphons. Also, the manufacture of the syphon is greatly simplified and rendered more economical, since due to the wide mouth the vessel can now be molded of metal or other suitable material as a single, unitary structure without seams and without the expense of welding together separately formed sections.

Although there has been described herein a preferred embodiment of the syphon according to the present invention, it is to be understood that the foregoing disclosure is for purposes of illustration only and that the construction according to the present invention is susceptible to modification in a number of ways none of which entails a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the hereto appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a syphon for dispensing carbonated water under pressure and having a liquid-receiving vessel and a syphon head defining the closure for said vessel, and wherein said syphon head is provided with a normally closed valve controlling communication between the interior of said vessel and the outside and arranged to be manually opened, and with releasable means for securing to said. head a pressurized gas-containing capsule and to placethe latter into communication with the interior of said head; the improvement comprising an intermediate member interposed between said vessel and said syphon head, said intermediate member comprising a tubular body pro vided adjacent one of its ends with a peripheral outwardly extending transverse rim and having the outer diameter of that section extending from said one end to said rim enlarged with respect to the outer diameter of the remainder of said body, said rim having a peripheral outer flange and radially inwardly therefrom an annular externally threaded skirt both facing toward the other end of said body, the outer diameter of said skirt being substantially equal to the inner diameter of the mouth of said vessel, said vessel in the region of said mouth being internally threaded, a sealing ring disposed in the space between said skirt and flange for contact with the top rim of said vessel upon screwing of said skirt into said mouth, and an elongated open-ended tube having an outer diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter of said body, said tube being mounted at said one end of said body in fluid-tight relation thereto and extending therethrough into close proximity with the bottom of said vessel, said section of said body being externally threaded, and said syphon head having an internally threaded bore section at its bottom end to permit it to be screwed onto said section of said body.

2. In a syphon for dispensing carbonated water under pressure and having a liquid-receiving vessel and a syphon head defining the closure for said vessel, and wherein said syphon head is provided with a normally closed valve controlling communication between the interior of said vessel and the outside and arranged to be manually opened, and with releasable means for securing to said head a pressurized gas-containing capsule and to place the latter into communication with the interior of said head; the improvement comprising an intermediate member interposed between said vessel and said syphon head, said intermediate member comprising a tubular body provided adjacent one of its ends with a peripheral outwardly extending transverse rim and having the outer diameter of that section extending from said one end to said rim enlarged with respect to the outer diameter of the remainder of said body, said rim having a peripheral outer flange and radially inward-1y therefrom an annular externally threaded skirt both facing toward the other end of said body, the outer diameter of said skirt being substantially equal to the inner diameter of the mouth of said vessel, said vessel in the region of said mouth being internally threaded, a sealing ring disposed in the space between said skirt and flange for fluid-tight contact with the top rim of said vessel upon screwing of said skirt into said mouth, an elongated open-ended tube having an outer diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter of said body, and an annular stopper of sealing material surrounding said tube at one end thereof, said stopper being seated on said one end of said body, with said tube extending through and beyond said other end of said body into close proximity with the bottom of said vessel, said section of said body being externally threaded, and said syphon head having an internally threaded shouldered bore section at its bottom end to permit it to be screwed onto said section of said body so as to press said stopper fluid-tightly against said one end of said body.

3. In a syphon according to claim 2; said rim, flange and skirt of said intermediate member being integral with said body.

4. In a syphon according to claim 3; said intermediate body being molded of synthetic resinous material.

5. In a syphon according to claim 2; said outer diameter of said section of said body being smaller than said outer diameter of said skirt.

6. In a syphon according to claim 2; the interior bore of said body being somewhat wider in the region of said section than in the remainder of said body, the juncture between the parts of said bore serving as an indication of the limit of filling of said vessel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,222,247 3/1955 Ward 141-17 X LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. H. S. BELL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A SYPHON FOR DISPENSING CARBONATED WATER UNDER PRESSURE AND HAVING A LIQUID-RECEIVING VESSEL AND A SYPHON HEAD DEFINING THE CLOSURE FOR SAID VESSEL, AND WHEREIN SAID SYPHON HEAD IS PROVIDED WITH A NORMALLY CLOSED VALVE CONTROLLING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE INTERIOR OF SAID VESSEL AND THE OUTSIDE AND ARRANGED TO BE MANUALLY OPENED, AND WITH RELEASABLE MEANS FOR SECURING TO SAID HEAD A PRESSURIZED GAS-CONTAINING CAPSULE AND TO PLACE THE LATTER INTO COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID HEAD; THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING AN INTERMEDIATE MEMBER INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID VESSEL AND SAID SYPHON HEAD, SAID INTERMEDIATE MEMBER COMPRISING A TUBULAR BODY PROVIDED ADJACENT ONE OF ITS ENDS WITH A PERIPHERAL OUTWARDLY EXTENDING TRANSVERSE RIM AND HAVING THE OUTER DIAMETER OF THAT SECTION EXTENDING FROM SAID ONE END TO SAID RIM ENLARGED WITH RESPECT TO THE OUTER DIAMETER OF THE REMAINDER OF SAID BODY, SAID RIM HAVING A PERIPHERAL OUTER FLANGE AND RADIALLY INWARDLY THEREFROM AN ANNULAR EXTERNALLY THREADED SKIRT BOTH FACING TOWARD THE OTHER END OF SAID BODY, THE OUTER DIAMETER OF SAID SKIRT BEING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE INNER DIAMETER OF THE MOUTH OF SAID VESSEL, SAID VESSEL IN THE REGION OF SAID MOUTH BEING INTERNALLY THREADED, A SEALING RING DISPOSED IN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID SKIRT AND FLANGE FOR CONTACT WITH THE TOP RIM OF SAID VESSEL UPON SCREWING OF SAID SKIRT INTO SAID MOUTH, AND AN ELONGATED OPEN-ENDED TUBE HAVING AN OUTER DIAMETER WHICH IS SMALLER THAN THE INNER DIAMETER OF SAID BODY, SAID TUBE BEING MOUNTED AT SAID ONE END OF SAID BODY IN FLUID-TIGHT RELATION THERETO AND EXTENDING THERETHROUGH INTO CLOSE PROXIMITY WITH THE BOTTOM OF SAID VESSEL, SAID SECTION OF SAID BODY BEING EXTERNALLY THREADED, AND SAID SYPHON HEAD HAVING AN INTERNALLY THREADED BORE SECTION AT ITS BOTTOM END TO PERMIT IT TO BE SCREWED ONTO SAID SECTION OF SAID BODY. 